his who made them Saints In the Deuotion fitted to these dayes first I lay the ground out of Scripture and then descant vpon it in the Admonition Hymne and Prayer all which allude to the History of that feast 4. After these feasts the week-dayes come in their order The Saints Martyrs and Arch-angels dayes I haue purposely omitted not that I dislike the keeping of them for I haue euer and will iustify and maintaine the obseruation of them according to that godly institution and practice of our Church But I desired to keepe my book within the compasse of the title which is a Manuell And albeit wee honour Saints and Martyrs yet religious Deuotion which is my Theame is restrained to God by holy Dauid Whom haue I in heauen but thee ô Lord. In the Church of Rome there are many Deuotionâ— to Saints and more to our Lady then to Christ but wee acknowledge no religious Deuotions but to him who charmed the old Serpent with that voice of his Father Him onely shalt thou serue In the weeke daies Deuotion those words of our Sauiour were my loadestarre My father worketh and I worke For all the morning prayers haue relation to some worke of God the Father in the sixe dayes of Creation and all the euening to some worke of God the Sonne in the sixe dayes immediately before his glorious resurrection The admonitions for morning and euening containe 12 beatitudes or blessednes 8 mentioned by our Sauiour Mathew 5. and the rest out of other choice Texts of Scripture All which blessednesses I wish thee from my heart desiring thee to afford me one Prayer who haue stored thee with many Thine in the Lord Iesus D. F. THE MORNINGS DEVOTION An admonition for the Morning VVEE haue a more sure word of Prophecie whereunto ye do well that yee take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a dark place vntill the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts 1 Pet. 1. 19. I am the roote and the off-spring of Dauid saith Christ and I am the bright morning Starre Reu. 22. 16. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Ephes. 5. 14. It is now time to awake out of sleepe for now our saluation is neerer then when wee belieued Rom. 13. 11. The night is past the day is at hand therfore cast off the works of darknesse and put on the armour of light verse 12. See that ye walk circumspectly redeeming the time because the dayes are euill Eph 5. 15. Walke honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonesse not in strife and enuying but put on the Lord Iesus and make no prouision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 13. 14. A Hymne for the Morning O Lord thou art my God earely will I seeke thee my soule thirsteth for thee I will sing alowd of thy power and mercy in the morning Psal. 63. 1. 2. Psal. 59. 10. My tongue shall speake of thy righteousnesse and thy praise all the day long Psal. 35. 28. I layd mee downe and slept for thou Lord sustainedst me Psal. 3. 5. I haue dwelt in the secret place of the most High abode vnder the shadow of the Almighty Psal. 91. 1. 4 He shall couer me with his feathers and vnder his wings will I trust his faithfulnesse and truth shall bee my shield and buckler ver 4. Lord arise and lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon me Ps. 4. 7. Teach me to number my dayes that I may apply my heart vnto wisedome Instruct mee in the way which I shall go and guide me with thine eye Psal. 90. 12. Psal. 32. 9. Teach mee thy way ô Lord and I will walke in thy truth ô knit my heart to thee that I may feare thy Name Psal. 86. 11. Hold vp my goings in thy path that my footsteps slip not Psal. 17 5. O satisfie mee earlie with thy mercy and that soone that I may reioyce and be glad al my dayes Psal. 143. 8. Let the beauty of the Lord my God be vpon mee establish thou the worke of my hands vpon me ô prosper thou my handie worke Psal. 90. 17. A Prayer for the Morning GRacious Father rich in mercy to all thy children that call vpon thee accept I beseech thee this my morning Sacrifice of praise thanks giuing which with a willing heart and deuout affection I offer vnto thee in confidence of thy sonnes infinite merits and acknowledgement of thine euerlasting loue and those inestimable benefits which by him and for him and with him thou conferredst vpon me and all thine Elect in him How deare are the thoughts of thy mercies vnto me how great is the â—umme of them Who can value the precious Pearle of thy Word and treasure of thy grace Who can raise his thoughts and desires to the high price of our â—aling an incorruptâ—ble crowne of glory layd vp for vs in heauen Lord fit me with thy grace that I may abound in thanksgiuing and praises for it Enlarge my heart with thy loue that I may in some sort comprehend with al Saints the measure of thine infinite â—oue mâ—nifested to me in the faith of Iesus Christ and abundantly testified by writing my name in the booke of life before I was and engrauing me as a signet with thine owne image at my creation and when I had defaced and in a manner quite raced it out by renuing it in me againe and redeeming mee that had sold my selfe as a bondslaue vnder sinne and death not with corruptible things as gold siluer or pretious stones but with the inualuable and incorruptible blood of thine onely begotten son who gaue his life for my ransome and by his suffering and death hath purchased for me a crowne of life To whom therefore with thee and thy spirit which sealeth all thy mercies vnto me and me vnto the day of redemption bee ascribed the whole glory of my creation redemption sanctification and saluation For vnto me nothing belongeth but shame and confusion who insteede of embracing any mercy and answering thy loue prouoke thy iustice and incense thy wrath and grieue thy spirit and despight thy grace and as much as in me lyeth crucifie againe to my selfe the Lord of life and trample the blood of the New Testament vnder foot Such is my peruerse nature and vngratious disposition that the better thou art to me the worse I proue to thee What couldest thou haue done vnto mee that thou hast not done Thou hast planted me in a fruitfull country thou hast fenced mee with thy prouidence watered me with the former and latter raine of thy Word pruned me with milde and seasonable afflictions and thou castest continually the hot and bright beames of thy fauour vpon me and thou lookest for grapes but behold nothing but wilde grapes What remaineth therefore but that thou shouldest roote mee out of thy vineard and plant another in my
to God with confidence 7 The guidance of the spirit 8 An incorruptible inheritance THE TEXTS EXcept a man bee borne againe hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Ioh. 3. 3. Except a man be borne of water and the spirit c. verse 5. Ye were darknesse but now yee are light in the Lord. Ephes. 5. 9. The creature shall bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God Rom. 5. 21. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him neither can hee sinne because he is borne of God 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vndâ—â— the Law but vnder grace 〈…〉 6. 14. As many as receiued 〈…〉 them he gaue power to 〈…〉 Sonnes of God euen to them that belieue on his name Ioh. 1. 12. Which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God verse 13. That he might redeeme them that are vnder the Law and that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes Gal. 4. 5. And to the congregation of the first-borne Heb. 12. 23. Of his owne will begat hee vs with the Word of truth that we should bee the first fruits of his creatures Iam. 1. 18. Wee haue receiued the spirit of Adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father Rom 8. 11. As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 14. Blessed bee God the Father of 〈◊〉 Lord Iesus Christ which 〈◊〉 to his abundant mercy 〈◊〉 vs againe vnto a 〈◊〉 â—pe 1 Pet. 1. 3. To an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled and that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for you verse 4. The same spirit testifieth to our spirits that we are the children of God Rom 8. 6. If we be children then heires euen the heires of God and coheirs annexed with Christs verse 17. A Hymne for the Natiuity of our Lord consisting of fowre parts 1. God the Fathers 2. Christs 3. The Prophets 4. The Churches Glory be to God on High in earth peace good will to men THe Lord euen the most mighty God hath spoken and called the world from the rising vp of the Sunne to the going downe thereof Ps. 50. 1. Out of Sion hath God appeared in perfect beauty verse 2. Saluation is nigh them that feare him that glory may dwell on the earth Psal. 85. 9. Mercy and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other verse 10. Truth shall flourish on the earth and righteousnesse hath looked downe from heauen ver 11. Thou art fairer then the children of men full of grace are thy lipps because God hath blessed thee for euer Psal. 45. 3. Thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquity wherfore God euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes verse 8. O Lord my God great are thy wonderous workes which thou hast done like as be also thy thoughts which are to vs ward yet there is no man that ordereth them vnto thee Psal. 40. 6. If I would declare or speake of them they should be more in number then I am able to expresse verse 7. Sacrifice and meate offerings thou wouldest not haue but mine eares hast thou opened verse 8. Burnt offerings and sacrifice for sin hast thou not required then said I Loe I come verse 9. In the volume of thy booke it is written of me that I should fulfill thy will O my God I am content to doe it yea thy law is in my heart verse 10. I haue declared thy righteousnesse in the great congregation Loe I will not refraine my lipps ô Lord and that thou knowest verse 11. I haue not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart my talking hath beene of thy truth and of thy saluation verse 12. I wil preach the lawe whereof the Lord hath said vnto me Thou art my Sonne this day haue I bogotten thee Psal. 2. 7. He shall call me Thou art my Father my God and my strong saluation Psal. 89. 27. And I will make him my first borne higher then the Kings of the earth verse 28. Shew vs thy mercy ô Lord and grant vs thy saluation Psal. 85. 7. Lord saue vs now Lord sende vs now prosperity Through thy tender mercy whereby this day spring from on high hath visited vs. To giue light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death and to guide our feete into the way of peace Cant. Zach. The Prayer GRatious Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of God and Sauiour of man the ioy of Angels and dread of diuels the Iewes Messiah the Gentiles starre the hope of the liuing and resurrection of the dead the way to all that come vnto thee the truth to all them that know thee and the life to all them that belieue in thee Make good all thy glorious gratious titles to me Lord protect me Iesu saue me Christ my anointed King rule me my anointed Priest sanctifie me my anointed Prophet reueale vnto mee the secrets of thy Kingdome O Christ whose name is an oyntment powred out annoint me with the oyle of gladnesse this day aboue others This is the day which the Lord hath made I wil reioyce and be glad in it nay I dare take the note higher This is the day in which the Lord was made I will exult and triumph in it Thou which madest all dayes wert this day made of a woman and made vnder the Law From all eternity it was neuer heard that eternity entred into the Kalender of time supreame Maiesty descended into the wombe immensity was comprehended infinity bounded vbiquity inclosed and the Deity incarnated Yet this day it was seene for this day the Word became flesh God became man and to effect this wonderfull mystery a Virgin became a Mother One deepe calleth vpon another one miracle begetteth another The Sunne bringeth forth all other dayes but this day brought thee forth the Sonne of righteousnesse If wee set our voices and instruments and heart-strings to the highest straine of ioy at the birth of great Kings and Princes What ought I to doe this day on which thou the king of heauen wast born vpon the earth At the mariage of great Personages men giue full scope to all manner of expressions of carnall ioy euen oftentimes to the very surfeit of the senses with pleasure How then should I bee rauished with spirituall ioy at this time when heauen and earth the diuine nature and humane were married The contract was in heauen before all times but the marriage was this day consummated in the vndefiled bedde of the Virgin Lord who this day cammest downe to me draw me vp to thee and giue me accesse with more confidence and bouldnesse for now thou art become my brother and ally by bloud The rayes of thy diuine Maiesty will not dazle the eyes of
7. Purge me with Hysope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Psal. 51. 7. I will purge away thy drosse and take away all thy Tinnâ— Isa. 1. 25. For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified Iohn 17. 19. Being sanctified by the holy Ghost Rom. 15. 16. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified 1. Cor. 6. 11. That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word Eph. 5. 26. For by one offering he hath perfected them for euer that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. To them that are sanctified by God the Father c. Iude 1. 1. I know that my redeemer liueth c. Iob 19. 25. Though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God ver 26. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsell and afterwards receiue me to glorie Psal. 73. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast giuen me bee with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me Ioh. 17. 24. Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Math. 25. 34. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome Luke 12. 32. If so be we suffer with him we shall also bee glorified together with him Rom. 8. 17. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glorie that shall be reuealed in vs ver 18. Whom he iustifieth them also he glorifieth ver 30. Who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned to his glorious body Phil. 3. 21. I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith 2. Tim. 4. 7. Henceforth there is layed vp for me a crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not to me onely but vnto them also that loue his appearing ver 8. Blesse the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his benefits Psal. 103. 2. Which forgiueth all thy sinne and healeth all thy diseases ver 3. O Lord thou hast brought vp my soule from the graue thou hast kept me aliue that I should not go downe to the pit Psal. 30. 3. The Lord killeth and maketh aliue c. 1. Sam. 2 6. It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect Psal. 18. 32. He teacheth my hands to warre so that a bow of steele is broken by mine armes ver 34. Which satisfieth thy mouth with good things and maketh thee young and lustie as an Eagle Psal. 103. 5. Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord for he hath torne and he will heale vs he hath smitten and he will bind vs vp Hos. 6. 1. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant for with my staffe I passed ouer this Iordan and now I am become two bands Genes 32. 10. Also the Lord gaue Iob twise as much as he had before Iob 42. 10. Charge the rich in this world that they bee not high minded nor trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs richly all things to enioy 1. Ti. 6. 17. Thou hast set me at libertie when I was in thrall Psal 4. 1. Cornelius a iust man and of good report Acts 10. 22. And these all hauing obtained a good report through faith receiued not the promises Hebrewes 11. 39. Oyntment and perfume reioyce the heart so doth the sweetnes of a mans friend by heartie counsell Prou. 27â—9 Then came to Iob all his brethren and all his sisters and all they that had bene of his acquaintance c. Iob 42. 11. Thou Lord onely makest mee dwell in safetie Psal. 4. 8. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide vnder the shadow of the Almightie Psal. 91. 1. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe Psal. 121. 4. The Lord shall preserue thee from all euill he shall preserue thy soule A preparatorie Hymne collected out of diuerse Psalmes where in the deuout soule desireth Accessea. Audienceb. Assistancec. Acceptanced. a Thou sayest seeke ye my face my heart said vnto thee thy face Lord will I seeke Psal. 27. 8. Hide not thy face farre from mee nor put thy seruant away in anger ver 9. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal. 51. 11. b Heare ô Lord when I crie vnto thee haue mercy also vpon me and answer me Psal. 27. 7. Ponder my words ô Lord consider my meditation Psal. 5. 1. My heart is enditing a good matter my tongue is the pen of a ready writer Psal. 45. 1. c O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal. 51. 15. Let my prayer bee set forth before thee as incense and the lifting vp of my hands as an euening sacrifice Psal. 141. 2. Set a watch ô Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips ver 3. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart bee acceptable in thy sight ô Lord my strength and my redeemer Psal. 19. 14. A preparatorie Prayer wherein all the conditions requisite in Prayer are expressed and prayed for HEauenly Father whose gift it is that I can aske any good gift at thy hands without whose grace I cannot desire thy healthfull and sauing grace Infuse into my heart the Spirit of supplication that in an awfull reuerence of thy Maiestie out of a true sence and feeling of my wants and infirmities and a liuely faith in thy promises I may with chearefulnesse of mind and feruencie of Deuotion and constant perseuerance lift vp a pure and plaine heart vnto thee at all times humbly intreating thy souereigne bountie for such things onely as thou in thy eternall wisdome hast pre-ordained to giue and calling vpon thee in such order and manner as thou hast prescribed me to aske in that absolute patterne of all prayer set downe in the Gospell by my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. In whose name mediation and words I crie Abba Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy Name c. A preparation to the hearing of the word GOd in his infinite wisedome hath so disposed the meanes of our saluation that the soueraigne Antidote against sinne death is conueyed into the soule through the same passage whereby the deadly poyson first entered Death stole in at the eare by suggestion of the euill spirit and now life in the hearing of the word passeth in at the same gate of the soule by the operation of the holy Spirit Hast thou an eare ô Christian by thy profession for the diuell and none for God An eare to receiue poyson dropped in and not to
as a miraculous demonstration of his Diuinity or an euidence that hee was the true Messias because hee accomplished the Types foregoing in Moses and Eliah and in this regard it is to bee admired of vs but no way to be imitated And in this sence Caluin Videlius's words mayâ—passe and Saint Chrisostome must bee taken vnlesse thy will haue him contradict himselfe Secondly as a morall remedy against tentation or rather a spirituall Armour which Christ tooke vpon him when he was to buckle with the Diuell and thus wee may and ought to imitate Christ's Fast in the kinde though not in the degree As we cannot fast as Christ fasted so neither can we pray as Christ prayed whole nights and with strong cries and a bloody sweat yet no Christians euer doubted but that we may and must follow Christ in all religious exercises though not with euen paces yet as wee are able And because they appeale to S. Chrysostome let him be the Vmpire Our Lord Iesus Christ wheÌ„ he entred into the lists with Sathan fasted forty days giuing vs an example how wee ought to arme our selues against the Diuel Certainely if the Learned Bishops afterwards Martyrs that penned our Booke of Common Prayers had thought Christ's Fast of forty dayes no way to belong to our Fast they would neuer haue appointed the Story of Christ's Fast for the Gospell the first Sunday in Lent nor touched vpon it in the Collects For thine instruction meditate on Christ's Fast. For thy comfort apply the benefit of it to thy soule For thy correction condemne thy luxury and consider what great cause thou hast to humble thy soule with fasting Quicken Thy repentance by the Psalme Thy fasting by the exhortation Thy Deuotion by the prayer ensuing The Psalme for Ash-wednesday PVt mee not to rebuke ô Lord in thine anger neither chasten mee in thy heauy displeasure Psal 38. 1. For thine arrowes stick fast in mee and thy hand presseth me sore verse 2. There is no life in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne verse 3. For my wickednesses are gone ouer my head they are like a sore burden too heauy for me to beare verse 4. Lord thou knowest all my desires and my groaning is not hid from thee verse 9. Heare my Prayer ô Lord consider my desire ô hearken vnto mee for thy Truth and righteousnesse sake Psal. 43. 1. And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified verse 2. My spirit is vexed within me and my heart within me is desolate verse 4. I stretch forth my hands vnto thee my soule gaspeth vnto thee as a thirsty land verse 6. Lord be mercifull vnto me heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee Psal. 41. 9. O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercy thinke vpon me ô Lord for thy goodnesse Psal. 21. 6. I haue eaten ashes as it were bread and mingled my drinke with weeping Psal. 102. 9. And that because of thine indignation and wrath for thou hast taken me vp and cast me downe verse 10. My dayes are gone like a shadow and I am withered like grasse verse 11. When thou with rebuke doest chasten man for sinne thou makest his beauty to consume away like as it were a moth fretting a garment euery man therefore is but vanity Psal. 39 12. What man is he that liueth shall not see death and shal deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue Psal. 89. 47. When the breath of man goeth forth he shall turne againe to his earth and then all his thoughts perish Psal. 146. 3. What profit is there in my blood when I goe downe to the pit Psal. 30. 9. Shall the dust giue thanks to thee Or shall it declare thy Truth verse 10. Heare Lord and haue mercy vpon me Lord be thou my help verse 11. Here my Prayer ô Lord and let thine eares consider my colling hold not thy peace at my teares Psal. 39. 13. For I am a stranger vpon earth and a soiourner as all my Fathers were verse 14. O spare me a little that I may recouer my strength before I go hence and bee no more seene verse 15. AN ADMONITION FOR ASH-WEDNESDAY OR Exhortation to Fasting THE ANALSYS A deuout Christian ought to Fast because 1 God commandeth it 2 Christ commendeth it by Precept Example 3 The Saints practised it Vnder the Law Vnder the Gospell 4 It expelleth the Diuell 5 It quickens Prayer 6 It humbleth the Spirit 7 It tameth the flesh 8 It auerteth God's Iudgements 9 It obtaineth blessings Temporall Spirituall THE TEXTS BLow the Trumpet in Zion sanctifie a Fast call a solemne Assemblie Ioh. 2. 16. Is this the Fast which the Lord requireth c. Isa. 58. 5. The Bridegroome shall be taken away and then they shall Fast. Mat. 9. 15. When yee Fast bee not as the hypocrites c. Mat. 6. 16. Giue your selues to Fasting 1 Cor. 7. 5. And when he had fasted forty dayes and forty nights afterward he was an hungry Mat. 5. 2. Moses fasted Exod. 34 28. Fliah Fasted 1 King 19. 8. I ate no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth Dan. 10. 3. Hanna serued God with Fasting and Prayer Luk. 2. 37. About this howre I Fasted Acts 10. 30. As they Ministred to the Lord and Fasted Acts 13. 2. Then Fasted they and Prayed verse 3. In Fasting often 2 Cor. 11. 27. And Prayed and Fasted Acts 14. 23. This kinde of Diuell goeth not out but by Fasting and Prayer Mat. 17. 21. I humbled my soule with Fasting Psal. 35. 13. I beate downe my body 1 Cor. 9. 27. And hee proclaimed through Nineueh Let neither man nor beast taste any thing neither feede nor drinke water Ionah 3. 7. And God saw their workes and God repented him of the euill which hee said he would doe vnto them and hee did it not verse 10. Go and assemble all the Iewes that are found in Shushan and Fast ye for me and eate not nor drinke in three dayes I also and my Maides will Fast likewise Ester 4. 16. And the Posts went forth with speede to exe cute the Kings decrees Ester 8. 14. Mordecay went out in a crowne of gold and to the Iewes was come Ioy and gladnesse verse 15. I Fasted Acts 10. 30. Peter sayd Of a trueth I see c. ver 34. The holy Ghost fell on them verse 4. 4. A Prayer for Ash-wednesday O Let not my Lord be angry that I who am but dust and ashes dare speake vnto him for my sinnes cry for vengeance and shall I be silent for pardon Gracious God either silence them or heare mee If thou wilt not heare the voice of my words heare the voice of my teares if thou wilt not heare them heare the voice of thy sons blood which
speaketh better things then the blood of Abel I confesse I haue sorely displeased thee but it troubleth me that I haue so incensed thee I haue grieued thy spirit but it grieueth mee that I should bee so gracelesse as to grieue that Spirit of grace which sealeth thy chosen to saluation I deserue that thou shouldest euen abhorre me for my sinnes but I abâ—orre my selfe for them in dust and ashes I haue offended thee in gluttony but I now fast for it in pride but I humble my selfe in laughter and sports but I weepe for it in sinfull ioyes but I mourne for it I haue wallowed in filthy pleasures but Iâ—wallow for it in dust and ashes haue broken all thy commandements but I haue broken my heart in true contrition for it Thou didst not breake a bruised reede wilt thou grind to powder a broken heart What profit is in my blood O Lord when I go down into the pit Nay what profit is in thy blood O blessed Redeemer if they for whom it was shed god downe into the pit of destruction Shall the dust giue thankes vnto thee O Lord or the ashes and cinders of hell praise the God of heauen Hâ—are O Lord and haue mercie vpon me thou that healest those that are broken in heart and giuest medicine to cure their sicknesse raise vp my prostrate and deiected soule Why didst thou hunger O Lord but to satisfie for my gluttony Why didst thou thirst but to satisfie for my drunkennesse Why didst thou weepe but to satisfie for my sinfull ioyes Why didst thou endure vnspeakeable torments but to satisfie for my Iewd pleasures Why didst thou dye an ignominious death but to satisfie for my shamefull life Why didst thou shed thy blood but to satisfie for my crimson sinnes Adam our first Parent did eat the forbidden fruit and all our teeth are set on edge but thy fasting forty dayes hath fully satisfied for his eating But I renue my sinnes dayly and thou renewest thy mercies The guilt of my sinne is great but the price of thy blood is greater I haue offended an infinite Maiestie but satisfaction hath beene made by an infinite Maiestie My wickednes cannot exceede thy goodnesse for my power of sinning is finite but thy facultie of pardoning is infinite Wherefore sith my sins bee they neuer so many neuer so weighty fall within the measure of thy mercy and compasse of thy goodnesse And sith it is all one with thee to giue what I aske and to ineite mee to aske to heale my wounds and to make mee feele the smart of them Lord who hast giuen mee the one deny mee not the other Rebuke the surges of temptations and quiet my soule Thou who in the dayes of thy flesh offeredst vp prayers with strong cryes heare the strong lowd cryes of a penitent sinner Thou who tookest vpon thee our infirmities take pitie vpon them thou wert in thine agony stricken with horror and vnutterable griefe allay the troubles of my affrighted conscience Thou who fastedst forty dayes accept of my humiliation these forty dayes and graunt that my stomacke may not onely fast from accustomed meates but all my sences from their vsual delights and most of all my heart from worldly comforts and contentments Let no fight delight mee till I see my sinnes remoued like a mist and thy countenance shine vpon mee Let no sound or voice delight mee till I heare thee by thy Spirit to speake peace to my conscience and say to my soule I am thy saluation Let no pleasant fields and gardens delight me til I haue gathered red flowers out of that garden which was watered with thy blood Let no fruit delight me till I haue fully tasted the fruit of the tree of thy Crosse. Let no meate delight me till with the sower herbes of sorrow and anguish of heart for my sinne I haue eaten the Christian Passeouer the flesh of thee that immaculate Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Heare me blessed Redeemer and as thou wroughtest in dust when thou tookest the woman in adultery So I beseech thee write my sins in dust and bury them all in the ashes of obliuion So be it Amen GOOD FRIDAY'S DEVOTION OR The Christian Fast on the Passion of our Lord. The ground of this Fast In the Old Testament Prophecies Types geuerall speciall In the new Historie Sacrament of Christ's death of which before in the preparatioÌ„ PARALELL Prophecie Thou shalt bruise his heel c. Gen. 3. 15. He was cut out of the land of the liuing Isa. 53. 8. He shal make his soule an offering for sinne ver 10. And after threescore and two weekes Mâ—ssiah shall bee slaine Dan. 9. 26. They shall looke vpon him whom they haue pearced Zac. 12. 10. Historie This is your houre the Power of darknesse Luk. 22. 53. Then Iesus cried with a loud voice and yeelded vp the Ghost Mat. 27. 50. Him haue yee crucified slaine Acts. 2. 22. Christ dyed for our sins 1 Cor. 15. 3. He offered himselfe by the eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. One of the Souldiers with a Speare peirced his side Iohn 19. 34. Type Besides all sacrifices of the old Law which foreshewed Christs death there are 2. speciall types 1 Abraham builded an Altar and bound Isaak his son Gen. 22. 9. And stretched out his hand and tooke the knife to kill his sonne ver 10. Accomplishment So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Io. 3. 16. He became obedient to death euen the death of the crosse Phil. 2. 8. So Moses made a Serpent of brasse set it vp for a signe and when a Serpent had bitten a man then he looked to the Serpent of brasse and liued Numb 21. 9. They crucified him Luk. 23. 33. Iesus whoÌ„ ye haue crucified Act. 2. 36. Hee was crucified concerning his infirmity 2. Cor. 13. 4 I if I were lift vp from the earth wil draw all men to me Io. 12. 32. This he spake signifying what death he should die v. 33. IOH. 14. As Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of Man be lift vp For thine instruction meditate vpon Prophecie Tipes Storie of Christ's Passion For thy comfort apply to thy self the benefits of his death For thy correction remember and bewaile thy sinnes for which Christ suffered and dyed Quicken thy Faith by the Psalme Obedience and patience by the admonition Zeale and Deuotion by the Prayer ensuing THE ADMONITION for good-friday THE ANALYSIS We must suffer afflictions because 1. a By them we are made conformable to our Head Christ Iesus 2. b They are the Chastisements of our heauenly Father 3. c They proceede from loue 4. d They are moderated and mitigated by his mercy 5. e They are sweetened with many comforts 6. f They are the common lot of all Gods dearest children 7. g They are medicinable to the soule 8. h They bring vs to a sence of our sins and remorse for them 9. i
correcting and liberally prouiding for me euer since the day thou breathedst into me the breath of life Giue me yet more O Lord. What wilt thou giue me Giue mee a thankefull heart for all these inestimable fauours of thine infinite loue that I may continually blesse thee for thy continuall blessings with the dew of thy grace descending vpon me alwaies beginning the day with thy mercy and ending it with thy praise Blessed Redeemer who wert this day sold for thirty pieces of Siluer redeeme me from the thraldome of sinne and neuer suffer mee with Ahab to sell my selfe to worke wickednesse against thee Let the heinousnesse of Iudas his sinne and the horrour of his punishment deterre me from betraying thy truth for any worldly aduantage whatsoeuer O Bread of Life which hungredst for my sake O Source of the Springs of Libanon who thirstedst for my sake O Ioy of all mankinde which sorrowedst for me O Truth it selfe and fidelity which wast by false trechery betrayed for my sake O the true Wedding garment which wast stript for mee O the Redemption and ransome of the world who wert sold for my sake O the Life and Resurrection of all that hope in thee who dyedst for me imprint thy loue so deepe into my heart that neither hunger nor thirst nor sorrow nor nakednesse nor trechery nor thraldome nor hope of reward nor feare of persecution nor life nor death may race it out Was it not enough O Lord to become man for mee but thou must become a seruant Was it not enough as a seruant to bee scourged for me but must thou also like a bondslaue bee sold for me that am a bond-slaue of Satan sold vnder sinne Was it not too much to be sold but must thou bee sold at so vile a price as thirty pieces of siluer Was no means thought meane enough to abase thee The cheaper thou wert sold the dearer I cost thee for thou gauest not onely thy liberty and life but thy estimation also for mee The lower thou wert abased the higher thou hast exalted mee The lesse was giuen for thee the more I owe thee who wert content to bee prized solow and made of no reputation for me O strange ransome The Redeemer is sold that the sold bond-slaue may be redeemed O admirable iudgement The righteous is condemned that the vnrighteous may righteously bee acquitted O wonderfull cure The Physician is sicke and dyeth that the Patient may liue Meâ—ke Sauiour thou foresawest that the Diuell would enter into Iudas before hee entered Thou knewest that hee would betray thee yet thou chosest him that hee would lift vp his foot against thee yet thou shoddest him with the preparation of the Gospell of peace that hee would sell thee yet thou trustedst him with thy Purse that the poyson of Aspes was vnder his lip yet thou sufferedst him to touch thy Lips in which there was no guile and seale them with a kisse and gently vnsealing them thou saidst no more to him but Friend how camest thou hither Doest thou betray the Sonne of man with a kisse Sweet Sauiour how wilt thou entertaine thy friends when thou thus intreatedst thy trecherous seruant Thou who wert so good to him that was so bad as worse neuer was how will thy grace and goodnesse abound to them that excell in vertue If thou sufferedst a Traitor to kisse thee thou wilt neuer resuse to cheere vp the drooping countenance of a penitent sinner with a kisse Thy Espouse emboldneth me to beg that kindnesse of thee which she did Let him kisse me with the kisses of his lips Kisse thou me with a kisse of loue but let me neuer kisse thee with the kisse of Iudas Let mee neuer draw neere to thee with my lips and be farre from thee in my heart but first draw â—y heart then my body soule vnto thee Thou requirest the heart and searchest the heart and 〈◊〉 the heart and acceptest of no seruice or sacrifice without it Lord giue me a cleane heart and 〈◊〉 a right Spirit within me that I may giue thee such a heart as thou requirest Clense the thoughts and affections and intentions of my heart from all impurity impiety iniquity in-sincerity fraud and hypocrisie Let all the thoughts of my heart bee pure the desires holy the intentions sincere the affections vnfained and let all my words and works be hearty O let my heart be alwaies fixed vpon thee possessed with thee established in thee true vnto thee vpright towards thee and sincere for thee that in the great Day when the secrets of all hearts shall bee manifested my heart may not condemne mee but thou approue it and accept it and fill it with such ioyes as neuer entred into the heart of man So be it Amen The close out of Scripture Thanks bee giuen to the Father which hath made me meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. Who hath deliuered me from the power of darknesse and hath translated mee into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne ver 13. In whom I haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes ver 14. Thursday's Deuotion being the fifth day from the Creation The Father worketh Ioh. 5. 17. The worke of Creation on this day SO afterward God said Let the waters bring forth in abundance euery creeping thing that hath life and let the Fowle flye vpon the earth in the open Firmament of the Heauen Gen. 1. â—0 Then God created the great Whales and euery thing liuing and mouing which the waters brought forth in abundance according to their kinde and euery feathered Fowle according to his kinde and God saw that it was good ver 21. Then God blessed them saying Bring forth fruit multiply fill the waters in the Seas and let the Fowles multiply in the earth v. 2â— So the Euening and the Morning were the fifth day And I worke Ioh. 5. 17. The worke of Redemption on this day THen came the Day of vnleuened bread when the Passouer must be sacrificed Luke 22. 7. And be sent Peter and Iohn saying Goe and prepare vs the Passouer that we may eat it ver 8. And they said c. v. 9. Then he said vnto them Behold c. v. 10. And say to the goood man of the house The Master saith vnto thee Where is the lodging where I shall eat my Passouer with my Disciples ver 11. Then he shall shew you a great high Chamber c. ver 12. So they went and found as hee had said vnto them and neade ready the Passouer ver 13. And he tooke Bread and when he had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue to them saying This is my Body which is giuen for you doe this in remembrance of me ver 19. Likewise also after Supper hee tooke the Cup saying This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud which is shed for you ver 20. And he came out and went as he was wont to
thee the fruite of my lippes Now I haue felt thy strength in my greatest weakenesse I haue tasted thy goodnesse in my bitter pangs I will therfore cal vpon thee in my troubles and will praise thee in my deliuerances and depend vpon thee as well in want as in plentie in sicknesse as in health in death as in life Thou mightest most iustly haue depriued me of the benefit and my infant of the hope of life Thou mightest deseruedly haue cut off the roote and the branch in the same moment for both were at thy mercie and liable to a curse But thy mercie is ouer all thy workes thou art good to them that are bad gracious to them that are vngracious mercifull to them that are most sinfull Thou desirest not the death of a sinner but of sin Thou wouldest that all should liue and here sowe the seedes and in heauen reape the fruite of immortality For to this end thou breathedst into vs the life of nature to make vs capable of the life of grace that thereby we may attaine the life of glory Therefore doest thou bring vs into the light of this world and set vs in the way that walking the paths of thy Commandements we might in the end ariue at our country in heauen This life of nature thou hast now giuen to my childe and continued to me adde now I beseech thee grace to nature and glory to grace hereafter that as we now liue in thee by nature so wee may liue to thee by grace and hereafter for euer liue with thee in glory Thou hâ—st ordained strength out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings and iustly maist expect praise from them Gracious Lord first giue my infant strength and then receiue praises from it The hidden treasure which for many moneths thou layedst vp in me is now safely taken out of me and deliuered me therefore I now offer it to thee in thy holy Temple Accept that from mee which thou hast giuen to me Receiue that into thy hands which thou hast put into mine armes Wash it in the Font of Baptisme regenerate it by thy holy Spirit feede it with the sincere milke of thy Word till it haue knowledge to choose the good and refuse the euill As it groweth in yeeres and stature strength so grant that it may grow in thy grace and fauour and increase in wisedome and in the knowledge of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ. So be it Amen The close out of Scripture NOw vnto the King immortal euerlasting inuisible vnto God onely wise be honour and glory for euer and euer Amen 1 Tim. 1. 17. The Sicke-mans Deuotion when there is yet hope of recouerie In his Sicknes After his Recouery When thou art smitten with sicknesse ô deuout Christian 1 ENter into thy priuate Chamber and commune with thine owne heart and search out diligently the cause of thy Fathers displeasure Psal. 4. â— 2 Confesse the particular sin or sinnes for which thy heart smiteth thee most with sighs and teares Psal. 32. 5 6. 3 Promise and fully purpose amendment through the assistance of grace Psal. 39. 1. 4 Aduise with the Physitian of thy soule and follow his godly direction and desire him to pray for thee and minister a word of comfort vnto thee and if thou find thy selfe fit for it in the beginning of thy sicknesse when thou art in perfect sence and memorie participate of the blessed Sacrament rather then when thy faculties are more enfeebled Iob. 33. 23. Iam. 5. 14. 5 Vse carefully all good meanes of Physicke and dyet for thy recouerie yet rely not vpon the meanes or instrument but vpon God Eccl. 38. 1. 2. Chr. 16. 12. 6 Pray to God instantly continually First absolutely for the health and saluation of thy soule Secondly conditionally for the health of thy bodie 7 Settle thine estate and make thy Will that thou mayest bee more free for holy and heauenly meditations Isa. 38. 1. 8 Submit thy self wholly and absolutely to God's good wil and pleasure concerning thee whether for life or death 1. Pet. 4. 19 9 Reade if thou be able or appoint to be read vnto thee at seasonable times select Chapters of Scripture and deuout Sermons and Prayers Rom. 8. Philippians 1. 1. Corinth 15. 1. Thes. 4. 2. Cor. 5. Ioh. 5. 6. 17. Hâ—b 12. Iob. 19. Reu. 2. 3. 21. 22. Iob 14. Isa. 38. 40. Among other helpes in this kind Open thy sorrow and griefe by the Hymne Strengthen thy faith patience by the exhortation Quicken thy Zeale and Deuotion by the Prayer ensuing A PSALME FOR the sicke wherein The deuout Soule Expresseth her Maladie affection Hope in God Experience remembrance of his former goodnes Meek patience Prayeth for Ease Helpe Recouerie Quickning grace Pardon for sinne Wisedome to make good vse of sicknesse THE TEXTS HAue mercy vpon mee ô Lord for I am weake O Lord heale mee for my bones are vexed Psal. 6. 2. My soule also is sore troubled But Lord how long wilt thou punish mee v. 3 My Spirit vexeth within me and my heart within mee is desolate Psal. 143. 4. Yet I doe remember the time past I muse vpon all thy workes yea I exercise my selfe in the worke of thy hands verse â—5 I stretch forth my hands vnto thee my soule gaspeth vnto thee as a thirsty land v. 6. Heare me O Lord and that soone for my Spirit waxeth faint Hide not thy face from mee â—est I bee like vnto them that go downe into the pit v. 7. Thou art he that tooke me out of my mothers wombe thou wast my hope when I hanged yet vpon my mothers brest Psal. 22. 9. I haue bin left vnto thee euer since I was borne Thou art my God euen from my mothers womb v. 10. Though I walke in the shadow of death I will feare no euill thy rod and thy staffe comfort me Psal. 23. 4. Lord what is my hope Truly my hope is euen in thee Psal. 39. 5. I became dumbe and opened not my mouth for it was thy doing v. 10. I will patiently abide alway and praise thy name more and more Psal. 71. 12. O Lord rebuke mee not in thine anger nor chasten mee in thy heauy displeasure Psal. 6. 1. The sorrowes of my heart are enlarged O bring me out of my trouble Psal. 25. 16. Heare ô Lord and haue mercy vpon me Lord bee thou my helper Psal. 30. 11. Turne thee ô Lord and deliuer my soule ô saue mee for thy mercies sake Psal. 6. 4. For in death no man remembreth thee and who will giue thee thankes in the pit v. 5. What profit is there in my blood when I goe downe to the pit Psal. 30. 9. Shall the dust giue thanks vnto thee Or shall it declare thy truth v. 10. Take thy Plague away from me I am euen consumed by the meanes of thy heauy hand Psal. 39. 11. Quicken mee ô Lord for thy names
of my paine and much more troubled and terrified in minde with the sence of my sinne and feare of thy heauie displeasure My paines and pangs of my sicknes O Lord are bitter yet the remembrance of my sin is more bitter vnto mee and the apprehension of thy wrath far exceedeth both Whilest I enioyed health and prosperitie the ioy of all my ioyes was in thy loue and so now in my misery sicknes the sorrow of all my sorrowes and anguish of all my paines is in the feeling of thy wrath This is the very venome of the arrow that sticketh in me It is gall to my taste and wormwood to my mouth and the sharpest vineger in my festered sores and a burning fire in my bones I confesse to thy glory and my shame that of very faithfulnesse and goodnesse to mee thou hast layd this scourge vpon me to the end that by the stripes of my flesh my spirit might be healed and saued in the day of my Lord IESV I fostered snakes secretly in my bosome I cherished priuate sin in my conscience now they haue stung me I tooke too much delight in worldly comforts and therefore thou hast sawced them with sorrowes My wanton flesh pampered vp with ease and daintie fare spurned at thy word and grew head-strong against thy Spirit and therefore thou hast tamed it with the sharpe whip I was in a kind of a spirituall Lethargie till thou didst awake me with the stroke of thy hand There grew a Call ouer my conscience which this thy chastisement hath plucked away I felt an Itch of impure lusts desires in all parts of my soule but thy Rod hath killed it I valued not the benefit of health as I should haue done and therefore thou hast taught me it by my paine In my prosperity I remembred not the afflictions of my brethren and therefore thou hast afflicted mee like vnto them I wept not for the calamities of thy people I shed no teares for the publike ruines of the Church and therefore thou hast drawne from mee abundance of them for my priuate griefes I put from mee still the euill day and therefore thou hast brought it neere vnto mee All this haue I done and therefore most iustly all this do I suffer And because I know that it is good for mee thus to be disciplined by thee I humble my selfe vnder thy mighty hand and kisse this thy Rod which imprints in my flesh a sence of my sinne and a marke of thy loue and maketh my body black and blew but I trust through thy grace shall make my soule appeare faire and beautifull in thine eyes Oh that I could frame my selfe to perfect patience that my abiding thy will might as wel please thee as my disobeying thy will hath displeased thee My spirit is willing but my flesh is weake I striue with the rebellions of my heart and corruptions but they are too strong for mee Faine would I silence all clamorous passions and let patience haue her full worke vpon me but the loathsomenesse and painfulnesse and tediousnesse of my disease drowne all my ghostly comforts and make me euen rore for the disquietnes of my heart O Lord thou knowest all my desires and my groanes are not hid from thee Thou knowest whereof I am made thou vnderstandest that I am but dust wilt thou contend with dust ashes O Father of mercy and God of all consolation lay no more vpon me then thou wilt giue me ability to beare Either asswage and diminish my paine or increase my strength either shorten my sicknesse or lengthen I beseech thee my patience I acknowledge my many sins deserue many strokes grieuous sins smart strokes but my flesh is not of yron nor my sinews of brasse nor my heart of Oke to endure so many blowes and re-iterated cuts of thy axe Neither could my sufferings if I could endure as much for sin as any of thy blessed Saints and Martyrs haue suffered for righteousnesse thereby satisfie for the least of my sins For thy Maiesty is infinite and my offences therefore infinite thy mercy toward me is infinite and my ingratitude towards thee thereby made infinite Thy law eternall and my gilt consequently for the breach thereof eternall But thy Son a person of infinite dignity out of his infinite loue to mankinde hath layed downe his life a price of infinite value to discharge the infinite debt of my sins Wherefore I beseech thee looke not vpon my sin but vpon thy Son weigh not my transgressions but his merits Thy iustice is fully satisfied by him O confirme thy mercies vnto me As I haue in the cup of trembling tasted thy iustice my sins so grant that in the cup of saluation I may taste thy mercie and my Sauiour's merits Blesse all the meates and drinks and medicines which I shall receiue from the hand of the Physitian to the repaire and recouery of my bodily health and sanctifie all the bitter potions which thou hast and shalt minister vnto mee to the restoring of my soule 's health Comfort my fainting Spirit and strengthen my feeble knees and support my weake hands and reuiue my deaded heart and so powerfully assist me with thy Spirit of strength that I may with confidence call vpon thee with patience endure this tryal with hope expect thy good pleasure with wisedome make vse of this thy visitation and with thankfulnesse euer praise thy goodnesse and mercy for my safe recouery if it may stand with thy blessed will whereunto I fully submit and wholy resigne my selfe now and for euer Amen The Sicke-mans Deuotion after his Recouerie The Admonition or Exhortation to Thanksgiuing THE ANALYSIS For perpetuall Thanksgiuing a gratefull acknowledgement of God's blessing we haue in Scripture 1 Examples of CHRIST The Angels The Saints In heauen On earth 2 Reasons drawn from the consideration of God his Precepts Promises Benefits Past. Present To come THE TEXTS I Thanke thee ô Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them vnto babes Mat. 11. 25. And he tooke the seuen loaues and the fishes and gaue thankes and brake them Mar. 5. 36. And he tooke the cup and when he had giuen thankes he gaue it to them Mat. 26. 27. And when he had giuen thanks he tooke bread and brake it Luk. 22. 19. And all the Angels that stood round about the Throne and about the Elders and the foure beasts fell downe on their faces before the Throne and worshipped God saying Reuel 7. 11. Amen Blessing and glorie and wisedome and thanksgiuing and honour and power and might be vnto God for euer v. â—2 Glorie be to God on high on earth peace and good will towards men Those beasts gaue glorie and honour and thanks to him that sate on the Throne who liueth for euer Reuel 4. 9. And he blessed him and said Blessed be
the eternall Spirit offered himselfe to God without spot purge our consciences from dead workes verse 14. The blood of Iesus Christ his Son clenseth vs from al sinne 1 Ioh. 1. 7. If any man sin wee haue an Aduecate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous 1 Iohn 2. 1. And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also for the sins of the whole world v. 3. These haue washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lambe Reu. 7. 14. Thou hast redeemed vs by thy blood to God Reu. 5. 9. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keepe them from the euill Ioh. 17. 15. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy Word is truth v. 17. Neither pray I for these alone but for them which shall belieue on me through the word v. 20. I haue prayed for thee that thy faith may not faile Luke 22. 32. In that day ye shall aske in my name and I say not vnto you that I will pray the Father for you Ioh. 16. 26. For the Father himselfe loueth you because ye haue loued me v. 27. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen againe who is euen at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs Rom. 8. 34. Hee is able to saue them euermore that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them Heb. 7. 25. IOHN did baptize in the wildernesse and preach the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sins Mar. 1. 4. According to his mercy hee saued vs by the lauer of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. The like figure whereunto euen baptisme doth now saue vs by the resurrection of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 3. 21. Repent and bee baptized euery one of you in the name of the Lord Iesus for the remission of sins Act. 2. 38. This is the Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Mat. 26. 28. Seeke the Lord while hee may be found call ye vpon him while he is neere Isa. 55. 6. Let the wicked for sake his way and the vnrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne to the Lord and he will haue mercy vpon him and to our God and he will abundantly pardon v. 7. For my thoughts are not your thoughts nor my waies your waies saith the Lord v 8. As I liue saith the Lord God I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Ezekiel 18. 22. Turne you turne you from your euill waies for why will yee dye ô yee house of Israel Ezek. 33. 11. I haue no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God wherefore turne your selues and liue Ezek. 18. 32. They shall know me from the least to the greatest saith the Lord and I will forgiue their iniquity and remember their sin no more Ier. 31. 34. Thou shalt finde the Lord if thou seeke him with al thy heart and with all thy soule Deut. 4. 29. For the Lord thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thee nor destroy thee v. 31. If my people shall humble themselues and pray and seeke my face and turne from their wicked waies then I will heare from heauen and will forgiue their sinne 2 Chro. 7. 14. If thou returne to the Almighty thou shalt be built vp Iob 22. 23. I haue blotted out as a thick clowde thy transgressions and as a clowde thy sins returne vnto me for I haue redeemed thee Isa. 44. 22. Cease to doe euill learne to doe well Isa. 1. 17. Come now let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as skarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall bee as wooll Isa. 1. 18. Goe proclaime these words to the North and say Returne thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall vpon you for I am mercifull saith the Lord and will not keepe anger for euer Ier. 3 12. Onely acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed the Lord thy God verse 13. Come let vs returne to the Lord for he hath torne and hee will heale vs he hath smitten and he will binde vs vp Hosea 6. 1. I will heale their back-slidings I will loue them freely Hosea 14. 4. Seeke the Lord and yee shall liue Amos 5. 6. Turne yee vnto mee saith the Lord of Hosts and I will turne vnto you Zac. 1. 3. Come vnto me all ye that are heauy laden and I will ease you Mat. 11. 28. Likewise I say vnto you There is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God ouer one sinner that repenteth Luke 15. 10. The Son of Man came to saue that which was lost Luke 19. 10. I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Luk. 5. 32. That repentance and remission of sinnes should bee preached in his name among all Nations Luke 24. 47. Repent ye therefore and bee conuerted that your sinnes may be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3. 19. The Lord is not slacke as some men account slacknesse but is long suffering to vs-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. If wee confesse our sins hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse 1 Ioh. 1. 9. Manasses built altars for al the Host of heauen 2 Chron. 33. 5. And he caused his children to passe by the fire in the valley of Hinnon also he vsed Witch-craft and dealt with familiar Spirits c. v. 67. But when hee was in his affliction hee besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the Lord of his Fathers v. 12. And prayed vnto him and he was intreated of him and he heard his supplication v. 13. He denied before them al saying I know not what thou sayest Mat. 26. 70. And againe he denyed him v. 72. Then he began to curse and to sweare saying I know not the man v. 74. And the Lord turned and looked vpon PETER and PETER remembred the words of the Lord Luk. 22. 61. And PETER went out and wept bitterly v. 62. And behold a woman in the City which was a sinner brought an al abaster box of ointment c. Luk. 7 37. Her sinnes which are many are forgiuen her for she loued much v. 47. A woman which had bin healed of euill Spirits and infirmities Mary Magdalene out of whom went seauen diuels Luk. 8. 2. The younger tooke his iourney into a farre countrey and wasted his substance with riotous liuing Luk. 15. 13. When he came to himselfe he said c. v. 18. I will arise and goe to my Father and say Father I
of thy mysticall bodie and when the head reigneth in eternall glorie the members must needs participate of glorious eternitie What shall I offer vnto thee for these so singular benefits which I receiue by the Sacrament My body is vile my soule sinfull and worse then nothing in respect of thy glorious and sacred flesh and bloud One drop of thy bloud is more to be valued then a thousand worlds which yet to testifie the aboundance of thy loue thou pouredst out and offeredst plentifully for me vpon the crosse and now affordest to me in the cup. Shall I not spend my dearest hearts bloud in thy seruice who hast shed thine for me Shall I not willingly seale thy truth if need bee with my bloud who haue now receiued the pardon of all my sinnes signed with it What shall I render to thee for all thy louing mercies contained in this conduit of thy grace I will take this cup of saluation and I will not refuse the cup of trembling for thy sake by the helpe of thy grace I will more strictly keepe my holy vowes which I haue heretofore made and now renew I will seeke to carrie my selfe as a guest of so holy a table Hauing eaten Angels meate I will endeauour my selfe to leade an Angels life Hauing supped with thee I will rest with thee haue my conuersation in heauen and dwell with thee for euer Amen THE PRACTICE OF PRIVATE DEVOtion both ordinarie and extraordinarie in health and sicknesse and at the houre of death The scope of the Author and reason of his method and order CHRISTIAN READER IN these Deuotions which I first offered for the greater part to God for my selfe and now offer to the presse for thy vse all that I intend affect and labour for is to expresâ—e in the matter pious affection in the forme Scripture phrase and elocution For it seemeth to mee most agreeable to speake to God as neare as wee can in the same language he speakes to vs which is the sanctified language of the Bible As for affected humane eloquence consisting instreined conceits of wit and swelling words of vanitie which as it is puffed vp it selfe so it puffeth vp those that vse it I hold it altogether vnfit for a Minister of the Gospell especially in meditations or exercises of this nature For in these we ought most of all to denie our selues and to captiuate not onely our thoughts to the conceptions but our tongs to the words and phrases of the inspired Oracles of God As Menander said of women that they were fairest who were not painted at all and Tullie of Atticus his booke that the grauitie of the stile and neglect of light ornaments was a graâ—e and ornament vnto it So it may be most truly auouched of holy vowes meditations and prayers that sinceritie is best art and simplicitie their garbe modesty their trimming and zeale their glorie when they are so conceiued and vttered that they shew most affection and least affectation of art wit or language Sighs are the figures that moue Almightie God and teares the fluent and most current Rhetoricke before him for he that made the mouth is not taken with words vnlesse they be such as proceed from his owne mouth and are warranted by his word such as carrie in them a manifest print of that patterne of sound or wholesome words set before vs by the Apostles Now a swelling member is not sound neither is blowne meate wholesome The wisest among the heathen could distinguish betweene a Matrons and a Curtizans attire and ornaments a loftie and a turgent stile the Asiaticke Superfluitie and Attick knife and modesty which pruned the luxuriancy of pregnant wits flourishing styles running out into superfluous stemmes that the presses of eloquence might abound not with leaues of words but iuyce sap of Sentences as it were grapes pressed together Thus eloquently Saint Ierom declareth that Athenian eloquence and singularly approued it to whose iudgement I submit onely I would adde this that euen this iuycie kinde of sententious eloquence relisheth not of a deuout soule vnlesse it haue in it the taste and tincture of the vines of Engaddy Draw me saith the Spowse we will runne after thee say her honourable attendants because of the sweete sauour of thy oyntments The spowse of Christ delighteth not in exoticall perfumes though neuer so costly because howsoeuer they please thy smell yet they corrupt the braine and oftentimes poyson the spirits But the smell of Christs oyntments who was annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all his brethren is the sauour of life vnto life Therefore both the Spowse her selfe and all her maides of honour i. e. Virgins and chaste soules runne after it And this my hand-maid also followeth after them yet as Peter followed Christ a farre off The path in which shee treads is this From the generall she passeth to particular from extraordinary to ordinary from the chamber and Closet to the sicke and death-bedds Deuotion Haec erit admissa met a terendarota 1 BEcause the morning and euening were euery day in the weeke I beginne with the dayes Deuotion in generall and for morning and euening I frame such Admonitions Hymnes and Prayers as may serue for any day Sabboth or weeke day festiuall or common 2. Next I furnish the Christian Sabboth because as Ignatius styleth it it is the chiefe and soueraigne day and the Queene of all dayes and may rightly challenge the precedency of all festiualls both in regard of Gods strict command for the religious obseruing it and for that it is the sampler of them they being cut as it were out of the dayes of the weeke otherwise dayes of labour according to the patterne of the Sabboths rest 3. The feasts peculiarly dedicated to our Sauiour and the holy Ghost succeede the Sabboth and precede the weeke dayes For whatsoeuer scruple hath bin made of Saints dayes the whole world as farre as it is or euer was Christian hath obserued religiously these feasts as Monuments and a kinde of Sacraments to refresh the memory of the chiefe workes of our Lord and mysteries of our faith to checke and controle whose vniuersall and vniforme practice especially in a matter of this nature is most insolent madnesse God saith Paulinus hath garnished the Church Calender with festiuall dayes as the heauen with Starres or a garlaÌ„d with roses Is not Christ the rose of Sharon and the bright morning Starre Doubtles then the festiualls in speciall consecrated to him ought to bee as the fairest flowrs in the round garland of the yeere and brightest Starres in the Church firmament Wee neuer reade of any saith Caluin that were blamed for drawing too much water out of the well of life Neither can wee possibly giue too much honour to the King of glory Saint Bernards consequence is as sound as it is pious If we celebrate the Saints solemnities how much more ought wee to keepe
Citie wherein are more then sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left and also much cattell verse 11. Tell the daughter of Soon Behold the King commeth vnto thee meeke Mat. 21. 5. He shall not striue nor crie neither shall any man heare his voice in the streets Mat. 1â— 19. A bruised reede shall hee not breake nor smoking flaxe shall hee not quench verse 20. I beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ 2. Cor. 10. 1. The said Lord wilt thou command that wee call for fire from heauen c. Luk. 9. 54. But hee turned and rebuked them and said yee know not of what spirit yee are made verse 55. Loe the heauens were opened vnto him and hee saw the Spirit descending like a Doue and lightening vpon him Math. 3. 16. Now Moses was a very meeke man aboue all the men that were vpon the face of the earth Num. 12. 3. Let him curse seeing the Lord hath said vnto mee Curse Dauid who shall then say wherefore hast thou done so 2. Sam. 16. 10. My soule is euen as a weaned child Psal. 131. 3. But I was like a Lambe or an Oxe that is brought to the slaughter and I knew not that they had deuised deuises against me Ier. 11. 19. Iesus said it is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to Dogs Mar. 7. 27. And shee said vnto him Yes Lord yet the dogges vnder the table eate of the childrens crums verse 28. But wee were gentle among you euen as a nurse cherisheth her children 1. Thes. 2. 7. Thy name is as an ointment powred out Cant. 1. The anointment which ye haue receiued of him abideth in you 1. Ioh. 2. 27. I will giue them hearts of flesh Ezek. 11. 19. I send you as Lambes among wolues Luke 10. 3. Behold the Lambe of God c. Ioh. 1. 29. Hee was led as a sheepe to the slaughter and like a Lambe dumb before the shearer so opened hee not his mouth Acts 8. 32. Be wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues Mat 10. 16. Learne that I am meeke and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules Math 11. 29. The meeke shall prosper in the earth and shall delight themselues in the aboundance of peace Psal. 37. 11. The Lord lifteth vp the meeke Psal. 147. 6. The meeke shall hee guide in iudgement and the meeke will he teach his way Psal. 25. 9. Who is a wise man and indued with knowledge among you let him shew out of a good conuersation his workes in meekenesse of wisedome Iam. 3. 13. Receiue with meekenesse the word ingraffed in you which is able to saue your soules Iam. 1. 21. The wisedome which is from aboue is first pure then peaceable Iam. 3. 17. And the fruits of righteousnesse are sowne in peace of them that make peace verse 18. Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth Mat. 5. 5. The Prayer for Munday-Euening Composed of 1 Petitions sutable to the worke of the day 2 Motiues to meeknesse agreeable to the precedent exhortation O Lambe of God which takest away the sinnes of the world who as vpon this day wert led as a sheepe to the slaughter and as a Lambe before thy Shearers openedst not thy mouth who gauest thy back to the smiters and thy cheeks to the nippers and thine armes to the binders and thy face to the spitters apply I beseech thee vnto mee these thy meeke sufferings Make that profitable to mee which thou enduredst for me Let thy bonds O meeke Redeemer set me free let thy silence pleade for me let thy spittle cure my blindnesse let thy stripes heale me let thy nakednesse cloth me and let thy meekenesse in all discipline me If thou who in the forme of God thoughtest it no robbery to be equall with God yet humbledst thy selfe didst become obedient to death euen the death of the Crosse shall not I meekely submit my necke to the yoke If thou who art God didst empty thy selfe and become of no reputation shall I that am but a worme of the earth fill my selfe and swell with pride If thou suffâ—redst blowes shall not I an affront If thou the Beauty of Heauen enduredst spitting vpon shall not I endure the fome of a loose tongue Shall I for a word of disgrace venter my owne life and assault the life of my brother Doe I value the life of my body and soule so low that I will pawne it for a toy a triflle a mocke a word God forbid Thy Law O God commandeth meekenesse thine example my Lord perswades meekenesse my condition requires meekenesse my frame and temper after a sort preacheth meekenesse Why hast thou giuen me a soft skinne but to patterne in my body this vertue of the minde Why hast thou giuen me a tender heart but to receiue deepe the impression of compassionate griefe Why hast thou giuen me melting eyes but to weepe for mine owne infirmities and my brethrens calamities Why am I brought into the world disarmed without any offensiue Weapon but to teach me that I should not fight with nor hurt any Thou O Lord hast created me a Lambe shall I by rage and cruelty make my selfe a Tyger Thou madest me as a soft rose of Sharon and Lillie of the Vallie shall I turne my selfe into a thorne and thistle I know Anger dis-figureth the body much more the soule It hurteth and endangereth others much more my selfe It is very offensiue to man much more to thee Wherefore I beseech thee let thy peace alwaies rule in my heart and quell and subdue all my rebellious affections especially this of wrath the most violent and impetuous of all the rest Weede out of my heart all accursed Thornes and Thistles that the seedes of thy Word may bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse which are sowne in peace of them that loue peace O let not the Sunne goe downe on thy wrath against me or my wrath against my brethren but grant that hauing made my peace with thee by faith in thy bloud with my brethren by forgiuing them from my heart and reconciling my selfe to them I may lay me downe in peace and take my rest And let thy hand O Sauiour which shall protect mee this night from all perills and dangers raise me the next morning to serue thee in my calling and magnifie thy goodnesse for all thy mercies and fauours vouchsafed vnto me So be it Amen I The close out of Scripture BLessing honour glory and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the Throne and vnto the Lambe for euer and ouer Amen Reuel 5. vlt. Tuesday's Deuotion being the third day from the Creation The Father worketh Ioh. 5. 17. The worke of Creation GOd said againe Let the waters vnder the Heauen bee gathered into one place and let the dry land appeare and it was so Gen. 1. 9. And God called the
compared vnto her verse 11. Follow after loue and couet spirituall things 1. Cor. 14. 1. Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are in the earth Col. 3. 2. My soule breaketh out for the very feruent desire that it hath alway to thy iudgements Psal. 119. 26. My soule is a thirst for God euen for the liuing God Psal. 42. 1 2. One thing is needfull Mary hath chosen that good part which shal not be taken away from her Luke 10. 41. From the time of Iohn Baptist hitherto the Kingdome of heauen hath suffered viclence and the violent take it by force Math. 1. 12. Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glory Prou. 3. 16. Seeke yee first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all other things shall be added vnto you Mat. 6. 33. Godlinesse is profitable vnto all things hauing promise of the life that now is and that which is to come 1. Tim. 4. 8. If from thence thou seeke the Lord thou shalt finde him Deut. 4. 29. Her wayes are the wayes as pleasure and all her paths are peace Pro. 3. 17. She is a Tree of life to them that lay hold vpon her and happy is euery one that reteineth her verse 18. Your heart shall liue that seeke good Psal. 69. 33. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Mat. 5. 6. The Kingdome of Heauen is like to a Merchant man that seeketh good pearles Mat. 3. 45. Who hauing found a Pearle of great price went and fold all that he had and bought it verse 46. The Prayer for Tuesday Euening composed of Petitions sutable to the the sufferings of Christ on this day Motiues to seeke after the meanes of our saluation agreeable to the precedent exhortation BLessed Redeemer who trodest the wine-presse of thy father's wrath alone reconcile mee to thy Father and of a child of wrath make mee a child of grace and sonne of desires Thou who trodest the wine-presse alone no Arch-angell or Angel or any creature in heauen or in earth being ioyned with thee in that worke Giue mee a taste of the new wine of thy Gospel to cheere vp and reuiue my drooping spirits and comfort my heauy and sorrowfull heart Thou which camest with thy garments red from Bozra yea as red as bloud Cloath mee with thy red garment died in thine owne bloud Couer my nakednesse deformities wounds and sores from the sight of thy Father Thy garment is no narrow nor scanty garment it is large enough to couer thee and all thine Elect. It is the wedding garment without which none shall euer be admitted into the Kings Supper but bee bound hand and foot and cast into outward darknesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth And this doome we all deserued for wee were borne naked and voide of all good and we lay a long time wallowing in our owne bloud and filth and no eye pittied vs till it pleased thee of meere loue and compassion to take vpon thee a nature of infirmities to cure all the infirmities of our nature and to cloath thy selfe with flesh that thou mightest beare off our blowes and receiue the stroakes of diuine iustice that wee should haue endured and deadded them in thine owne body O what shall I returne vnto thee by way of thankefull acknowledgement of such thy loue I can render thee nothing but that which thou hast giuen me I can render thee nothing that is not thy due before I can render thee nothing but that which thou puttest into my heart to render it to thee Wherefore I huÌ„bly beseech thee by thy grace to enflame my heart with thy loue to incite mee to perpetuall praise thanksgiuing to kindle in me an euerlasting desire to approue my self vnto thee more and more tie thy loue vnto me O let nothing be so precious to me as thy fauour nothing so fearfull as thy displeasure nothing so hatefull as sin nothing so desirable as thy grace Let me not now like a little child run in the dirt soile my cloathes and take many a fal in pursuite of a Butter-fly or a bubble of Sope appearing glorious in the aire but suddenly vanishing to nothing Let mee not be so foolish as to lay the foundation of my happinesse in sinking sands or goe about to chase a vanishing shadow Let me enter into a serious consideration of the vanitie of the world and the deceitfulnesse of riches and shame of pleasures and folly of sports and leuity of honours and danger of greatnesse and account of all Perswade mee by thy Spirit out of thy Word that I haue heere no abiding Citie but seeke for one hereafter That I am a stranger and pilgrim here vpon earth and therefore howsoeuer I haue heretofore mis-spent my time and mis-placed my affections and spilt my labours and lost my selfe in following earthly vanities yet let me now take the right way to true contentment Let all my trauailes be towards heauen all my trade for spiritual merchandise all my labour for the meate that perisheth not all my searching for the pearle of the Gospell all my seeking for the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Let mee desire temporall blessings onely for spirituall ends wealth that I may he rich in good workes preferment to aduance the honour of the Gospell health strength the better to enable mee to doe thee seruice length of dayes that I may praise thee in the Land of the liuing Lord whose life was sought this day to destroy it seeke thou mine to saue it Lord who this day wâ—rt anointed to thy death and buriall anoint me with thy Spirit to eternall life Saue mee from the hands of all mine enemies that I may serue thee without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of my life Guard mee by thy prouidence that securely reposing my soule on thy mercy for my absolution from sinne and my bodie on thy power for deliuerance from all dangers I may so by rest and sleepe refresh and strengthen both that I may rise the next morning more cheerefully to trauaile in the wayes of thy lawes and workes of thy commandements So be it Amen The close out of Scripture Vnto him that is able to doe exceeding aboundantly aboue all that I aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in me be glory in the Church by Christ Iesus throughout all ages world without end Ephes. 3. 20 21. enemies for I fly to thee to helpe me verse 9. Be mercifull vnto mee and blesse mee and shew the light of thy countenance vpon mee and be mercifull vnto me Psal. 67. 1. God is the Lord who hath shewed vs light binde the sacrifice with cords to the hornes
vnto you good measure pressed downe and running ouer Luke 6. 38. Whosoeuer shall giue to drink vnto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple verily he shall not lose his reward THE PRAYER FOR Wednesday morning composed of 1. Petitions sutable to the worke of the day 2. Motiues to workes of mercy agreeable to the precedent exhortation O Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him Thou madest so much of him that thou madest all creatures for him the Fowles of the Aire Fish in the Sea and Beasts of the Field to furnish his Table and clothe his nakednesse and serue his vse The earth thou createdst to sustaine him the water to wash and coole him the aire to breath him the fire to warme him the Flowers to refresh him the Herbes to cure him the Fruits and Graines to nourish him the Mines to inrich him the precious Stones to adorne him yea the glorious Lamps of Heauen The Sunne and Moone to light him the one in the Day the other in the Night and both to measure his time to direct his husbandry to recreate him in his trauells to ripen his fruits and increase his store Nay which farre surpasseth the glorious beames of the Sunne and his comfortable light thou gauest him a sure light of prophecy before the day dawne and the day-starre arose in the Firmament of the Church and afterwards causedst the Sunne of righteousnesse to arise vpon him to shine in his heart in this life by grace and in Heauen by glory for euermore Shall I not reioyce in this light Shall I not open all the Casements of my soule to let it in Shall I not account their feet beautifull and the ground happy on which they tread who bring me tidings of this wonderfull Light Shall I not loue thee aboue all things who hast preferred mee aboue all things Shall I not serue thee with all the faculties of my body and soule who makest all thy Creatures serue me What pretext can I haue for my ingratitude and disobedience to thee so gracious a Lord and Master I cannot pleade ignorance of thy Deity for the Heauens declare thy glory and the Firmament sheweth thy handy-worke I cannot pretend ignorance of thy Law for thou hast put thy Word into my mouth and written thy Law in my heart I cannot alledge that I neuer heard of or saw the Light of thy Gospell for the light came into the world and shined in the darkenesse and the darkenesse comprehended it not Neuer had any Nation a more bright Sun-shine of the Gospell then ours But we loue darkenesse more then light because our deeds are euill And because we loue darkenesse more then light thou mightest most iustly haue already cast vs into outward darkenesse But there is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared there is Balme in Gilead to cure cur deadly wounds there is Vnctim in Christ there is saluation in Iesus there is redemption in his bloud there is satisfaction in his death there is merit in his perfect obedience there is hope in his resurrection and ascension and euerlasting comfort in his sitting at the right hand of his Father to make intercession for vs. O Eternall Aduocate pleade my muse Thou who out of thy pierced side openedst to all the inhabitants of the earth a Fountaine for sinne and vncleannesse wash mee from my wickednesse and clense me from my sinne grant me thy peace which thou promisest thy chosen that my heart bee not troubled Make an atonement for mee and bring me into fauour with thy Father and my Father thy God and my God And because all my hope is in thy mercy Lord let me imitate that vertue in thee which I implore Let mee patterne that grace in my life which saueth my life Let mee from my heart forgiue my brethren their trespasses compassionate their infirmities relieue their necessities ease their crosses and beare their burthens Let the hungry haue neuer a iust action against me at thy Barre for not giuing them meate nor the thirsty for not giuing them drinke nor the naked for not clothing them nor the sicke and imprisoned for not visiting them nor the fatherlesse and widowes for not protecting defending them Let me who need abundant mercy shew abundant mercy Let me mete such measure to my brethren as I expect from thee As a good childe let mee follow the example of my heauenly Father who as on this day caused the Sunne to rise vpon the Iust and the vniust So let the light of my knowledge and heat of my loue be extended to all but especially to those of the houshold of faith And as the Sun shineth vpon my body so make thy countenance shine vpon my soule As the Sunne draweth vp exhalations from the earth so raise thou my thoughts and desires from earthy comforts to heauenly obiects As the Sunne melteth Snow and Ice so melt thou my heart frozen in the dregs of sinne As the Snnne dispelleth all mists of darkenesse and cleereth the Aire from all Fogs and noysome Vapours so let thy Spirit disped all errors of my vnderstanding and cleere my will from all fogs and fumes of noysome lusts Giue mee grace to keepe a regular constant and vnwearied course vpon earth as the Sunne doth in Heauen and to grow in grace and increase in heauenly wisdome as the Sunne ascendeth higher and shineth still brighter till it bee high Noone Lastly the Sunne reioyceth as a Gyant to runne his course So grant that I may cheerefully runne and finish my race and after I haue finished it receiue the reward of the Righteous who shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdome of the Father for euermore Amen The close out of Scripture Grant Lord that I may bee filled with the knowledge of thy Will in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding Col. 1. 9. That I may walke worthy of thee please thee in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of thee ver 10. Strengthened with all might through thy glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse ver 11. The Deuotion for Wednesdayes Euening THE HYMNE O Giue thankes vnto the Lord for he is gracious and his mercy endureth for euer Psal. 136. 1. Which onely doth wonders for his mercy indureth for euer ver 4. Which by his excellent wisedome made the Heauens for his mercy endureth for euer ver 5. Which made great lights for his mercy endureth for euer ver 7. The Sunne to rule the day for his mercy endureth for euer ver 8. The Moone and the Stars to gouerne the night for his mercy endureth for euer ver 9. He telleth the number of the Starres and calleth them by their names Psal. 147. 4. He appointed the Moone for certaine seasons and the Sun knoweth his going downe Psal. 104. 19. Thou makest darknesse that
it may be night wherein all the beasts of the Forrest doe moue ver 20. The Sunne ariseth and they get them away together and lay them downe in their dens ver 22. Man goeth forth vnto his worke and to his labour vntill the Euening ver 23. O Lord our Gouernour how excellent is thy Name in all the world Psal. 8. 9. The Admonition for Wednesday Euening being an Exhortation to purity in heart answerable to the sixth Beatitude THE ANALYSIS Purity especially in heart is to bee prayed for and sought after in regard of God his 1. Speciall command for it 2. Particular taking notice of it 3. High esteeme and approbation thereof 4. Gracious promises to it of 1 Life 2 Fauor of Kings 3 Sight of himselfe 4 His fauour and bounty 5 Profit by the Word 6 Abode in Heauen THE TEXTS NOw therefore serue the Lord and serue him in sinceritie of heart and in truth Ios. 24. 14. Prepare your hearts vnto the Lord and serue him onely 1. Sam. 7. 3. They that are of a forward heart are an abomination to the Lord but such as are vpright in the way are his delight Prou. 11. 20. My sonne giue mee thy heart and let thine eyes obserue my wayes Pro. 23. 26. Cleanse your hands yee sinners and purge your hearts yee double-minded Iam. 4. 8. Serue God with a perfect heart and with a willing minde for the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all imaginations of the thoughts 1. Chron. 28. 9. O Ierusalem wash thine heart Ier 4. 4. God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but God iudgeth the heart 1. Sam. 16. 7. Thou knowest the hearts of all men Acts 1. He will lighten things hid in darknesse and make the counsels of thy heart manifest 1. Cor. 4. 5. Thou louest truth in the inward parts Psal. 51. 6. Wee speake not as pleasing men but as pleasing God who tryeth the hearts 2. Thes. 2. 4. Let it bee the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price 1. Per. 3. 4. Keepe the heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Prou. 4. 23. Hee that loueth purenesse in heart the King shall be his friend Prou. 22. 11. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Math. 5. 8. Truely God is good vnto Israel euen to him that is of a cleane heart Psal. 73. 1. That which fell on good ground are they which with an honest and good heart heare the Word and keepe it and bring forth fruits with patience Luke 18. 15. Who shall ascend into the Hill of the Lord or who shall stand in his Holy place Psal. 24. 3. He that hath cleane hands and a pure heart verse 4. Hee that walketh vprightly and speaketh vprightly c. Isai. 33. 15. He shall dwell on high c. The Prayer for Wednesday-Euening Composed of 1 Petitions sutable to the sufferings of Christ on this day 2 Motiues to perswade purity in heart and sincerity agreeable to the precedent exhortation MOst holy blessed and glorious God who dwellest in light which none may approach I miserable and sinfull creature by nature a child of the night and of darknesse nay very darknesse it selfe am ashamed and confounded to lift vp mine eyes to heauen or looke towards the place where thine honour dwelleth For I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and deserue to be cast out for euer from the sight of thy face and presence of thy glorious Maiestie into vtter darknesse which the diuel the Prince of darknesse and his Angels that are reserued in chaines of darknesse till the great and terrible Day of thy wrath For that heauenly light which thou hast kindled in my heart though I seeke to smother it neuer so much clearely conuinceth my conscience that I preferre the pleasures of sinne which are the workes of darknesse before the glorious inheritance of thy Saints in light hauing my very vnderstanding the onely light which is in me much darkened through the ignorance that is in me by reason of the hardnesse of my heart And notwithstanding thou hast called mee early and late and stretched thy hands all the day long vnto mee yet I haue walked still in the vanitie of my minde and wearied my selfe in the wayes of wickednesse and haue not hearkened to thy voice whereby I might walke in thy lawes which thou hast appointed for me Or if for a short time I haue reioyced in the light of the Gospel yet soone after I haue quenched thy Spirt and haue giuen my selfe to wantonnesse to worke filthinesse with greedinesse Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Though thou shouldest drowne all my former sinnes in the bottomelesse sea of thy mercy yet the sins of this day alone giue sufficient euidence against mee to condemne mee My vnsanctified desires and impure thoughts and vaine imaginations and idle words and vnfruitfull workes make mee vnexcusable before thee I cannot answer for my abuse of the creatures mis-spending my time which is most precious ouerstipping many occasions of doing good How negligent haue I beene in the duties of my calling How cold and dull in my exercises of Religion How defectiue in the confession of my sinnes How carelesse in applying the soueraigne remedies of the Word My very prayers which I make vnto thee for the supplying of all my wants and healing of all my infirmities are accompanied with so many wants and infirmities that I haue neede to aske pardon for these my imperfect prayers Lord giue mee a sense of my stupidity and senselesnesse and a feruent desire of more feruency and zeale and true remorse and sorrow for want of remorse and sorrow for these my sinnes And because that I know not how to pray as I ought let thy Spirit make intercession for me with sighs and grones which cannot be expressed and let the bloud of thy Sonne speake better things for mee then the bloud of Abel O let not the glorious light of Heauen goe downe vpon thy displeasure against me but for thy decre Sonne Iesus Christ his sake who is the prâ—pitiation for my sinnes be reconciled vnto mee while it is called to day that I may finde rest vnto my soule this night together with the comfortable refreshing of my body by sleepe So shall I neuer cease with a ioyfull heart and a cheerefull voice to praise thee for thine vnspeakable loue in electing me to eternall life in Heauen before thou hadst laid the foundations of the earth Thy goodnesse in creating mee after thine owne Image thy mercy in redeeming mee with the bloud of thine onely begotton Sonne thy grace in calling mee to the knowledge of thy truth and thy fatherly care in safely protecting me mercifully
the Lord ô my soule and all that is within me praise his holy Name Psal. 103. 1. Praise the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his benefits v. 2. Which forgiueth all thy sin and healeth all thine infirmities v. 3. Which saueth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and louing kindnes v. 4. Which satisfieth thy mouth with good things and maketh thee young and lustie as an Eagle v. 5. The Lord is full of compassion and mercie long suffering and of great goodnesse v. 8. O taste and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him Psal. 34. 8. The Lord is my strength and my song and is become my saluation Psal. 118. 14. The voice of ioy and health is in my dwellings the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to passe v. 15. The right hand of the Lord hath the preheminence the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to passe v. 16. I will not dye but liue and declare the workes of the Lord v. 17. The Lord hath chastened and corrected me but hee hath not giuen me ouer vnto death v. 18. Open me the gates of righteousnesse that I may goe in and giue thankes to the Lord v. 19 A Thanksgiuing for recouery O Lord God of my health saluation who hast knowne my soule in trouble and diddest make my bed in my painefull dangerous sicknes and hast now raised me out of it to stand before thee I offer now vnto thee the calues of my lippes and the sacrifice of my body and soule which thou first gauest and now hast restored vnto me Because I employed not the faculties of my soule and members of my body as I should haue done thou bereauedst mee of the strength and vigour and vse of them for a season But now because thy compassioÌ„ failes not thou hast returned them to me againe Wherefore I consecrate and deuote them perpetually to thy seruice no longer desiring the vse of them then they may bee seruants vnto me of righteousnesse vnto holinesse What I vowed in my sicknesse by the helpe I will carefully performe in my health As I am in the state of my body so by the power of thy renewing grace I will become in the estate of my soule a new man My broken heart which thou hast healed shall now entirely loue thee my feeble knees and loose bones which thou hast setled shall day and night bowe vnto thee My enthralld meÌ„bers which thou hast set free shall cheerefully serue thee My weake hands which thou hast streÌ„gthened shal continually be lifted vp vnto thee My tyed tongue which thou hast loosened shall vnfold thy mercies My deafe eares which thou hast opened shall heare thy voice My harsh and hoarse and faint voice which thou hast cleared shall sing alowde a song of mercy and iudgement For in thy former mercies thou forgottest not iudgement to make mee know mine euil and in the latter iudgement thou remembredst mercy to make me know thy goodnes By thy iudgement thou hast taught me to know my self and by thy mercies to know thee Before I was troubled I went wrong but now sith thou hast set me right I will run the way of thy Commandements I will perpetually renew and refresh the memory of this singular benefit whereby thou hast renewed and restored me and by the smart of my paine made mee vnderstand wisedome secretly Thy rod and thy staffe as they haue comforted and supported mee so they haue beate many profitable instructions into me By thy scourge which peirceth the flesh and entereth into the heart and bowells I learne that thou requirest truth in the inward parts and searchest the reines and the heart By thy rod which at once striketh all the parts of my body though it fall heauiest vpon one particular I learne that though sinne reigneth and rageth in one kinde more then another yet that my whole soule is diseased The whole head is sicke and the whole heart is faint My fits were many because my sins were multiplyed My paine increased because my sins were aggrauated My wounds stanke and were corrupt through my foolishnesse the insufferable anguish whereof as it gaue me a quicke touch of my sin so also a liuely sence of the benefit of health By my confining to my chamber thou taughtest me what is the benefit of liberty by the weakenesse of my limmes what is the benefit of strength by my want of appetite what the benefit of a stomacke is by the missing my friends what the benefit of society is by my continuall watching what the benefit of rest and repose is by the stupidity and deadnesse of al my parts what the benefit of the senses is Alas what is a crowne beset with rubies to a man that hath a carbuncle in his head What is a chaine of pearles to one that hath a squinsie in his neck Or a collar of Esss to him that hath an impostume on his brest Or a diamond ring to him that hath the gowte in his finger Or the golden garter to him that hath the crampe in his leg What are melodious songs to the deafeâ—â— Beautifull pictures to a blinde man Dainty dishes to a man that hath lost his taste What are large reuenewes to him that possesseth nothing but his bed What are all to him that is tormented in body with the pangs of death or troubled in minde with the horror of hell I confesse vnto thee ô Lord that in my health I often read in the Scriptures and heard this note from the sweete singers of Israel that worldly delights and comforts were vaine and much like flaggs and bulrushes which men in danger of drowning catch to beare them vp but they sinke downe vnder water with them I cannot denie but the golden bells of Aaron in thy Sanctuarie haue often rung this lesson in mine eares that the true Heart's ease groweth onely in thy Paradise that the contents of the large volume of this world is nothing but vanitie that one little fit of an ague can dispossesse the happiest man aliue of his temporall felicitie Yet till I learned by that which I suffered till thy rod had imprinted it euen in my flesh I neuer deepely thought of it nor so throughly assented thereunto but I held the world though not in admiration yet in too great esteeme I secretly repined at the wealth of the couetous and honour of the ambitious and pleasure of the voluptuous and accounted the liues of thy Saints miserable in comparison of them so foolish was I and ignorant and euen as it were a beast before thee But in this schoole of my sicknesse I haue perfectly gotten by heart that which I did but slubber ouer before and learned by rote In my fearefull visitation finding by mine owne experience that all earthly delights and comforts leaue vs in our extremities and cannot steed vs when we most neede nay they rather increase then asswage our
Church 8 Meditation vpon these heads especially 1 The infinitnesse of God's mercie 2 The price value of Christ's bloud 3 The efficacy of his intercession 4 The vertue of the Sacraments 5 The vniuersalitie and certaintie of Gods promises to the penitent 6 Exampls of mercy shewed to most grieuous sinners THE TEXTS ANd being in an Agonie he prayed more earnestly Luke 22. 44. Pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseuerance Eph. 6. 18. Be feruent in spirit seruing the Lord Rom. 12. 11. Reioycing in hope patient in tribulation continuing instant in prayer ver 12. Pray one for another that yee may be healed the effectuall seruent prayer of a righteous man auaileth much I am 5. 16. What prayer or what supplication shall be made of any man or of all thy people Israel when euery one shall know his owne griefe and his owne sore and shall spread forth his hands vnto thee 2. Cron. 6. 29. Then heare thou from heauen thy dwelling place and forgiue ver 30. Then Dauids heart smote him after he had numbred the people and Dauid sayd vnto the Lord I haue sinned greatly in this I haue done and now I beseech thee ô Lord take away the iniquitie of thy seruant for I haue done very foolishly 2. Sam. 2◠10. I make my bed to swimme I water my couch with my teares Psal. 6. 6. And hee went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26. 75. He shall restore that which hee tooke violently away or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten or that which was deliuered to him to keepe or the lost thing which he found Leu. 6. 4. Or all that about which hee hath sworne falsly hee shall restore it in the principall and shall adde a fift part more thereto v. 5. If I haue taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him foure fold Luke 19. 8. Goe thy way bee reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Mat. 5. 24. Agree with thine aduersarie quickly while thou art in the way with him ver 25. Forgiue and ye shall be forgiuen Luke 6. 37. If ye forgiue not men their trespasses neither will my heauenly Father forgiue you Mat. 6. 15. If thy brother trespasse against thee seauen times a day and seauen times a day doe returne vnto thee saying I repent thou shalt forgiue him Luke 17. 4. Be yee kinde one to another tender hearted forgiuing one another euen as God for Christ's sake hath forgiuen you Eph. 4. 32. And his Lord was wroth and deliuered him to the tormentors til he should pay all that was due vnto him Mat. 18. 34. So likewise shall my heauenly Father doe also vnto you if yee from your heart forgiue not euery man his brother their trespasses v. 35. O King let my counsell be acceptable vnto thee and breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore Dan. 4. 27. Many sins are forgiuen her for she loued much Luk. 7. 47. Giue almes of such things as ye haue and behold all things are cleane vnto you Luk. 11. 41. Sell that ye haue giue almes prouide your selues baggs that waxe not old and a treasure in the heauens which faileth not Luk. 12. 33. Lay not vp for your selues treasures on earth where rust and moths doe corrupt and where theeues breake through and steale Mat. 6. 19. But lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theeues doe not breake through nor steale v. 20. And I say vnto you make vnto your selues friends of the Mammon of vnrighteousnesse that when yee faile they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations Luke 16. 9. While ye haue time doe good vnto all men but especially to them of the houshould of faith Gal. 6. 10. Charge the rich in this world 1 Tim. 6. 17. That they doe good that they be rich in good workes ready to distribute willing to communicate v. 18 Laying vp for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life v. 19. To do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifice God is well pleased Heb. 13. 16. His soule draweth nigh to the graue and his life to the destroyer Iob. 33. 22. If there bee a messenger with him or an interpreter one of a thousand to shew vnto him his vprightnesse ver 23. Then he is gracious vnto him and saith Deliuer him from going downe to the pit I haue found a ransome ver 24. He will pray vnto God and he will be fauourable vnto him hee shall see his face with ioy v. 26. Is any man sicke among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him I am 5. 14. And the prayer of the Faithfull shall saue the sicke c and if hee haue committed sinnes they shal be forgiuen him ver 15. Verily I say vuto you whatsoeuer ye shal bind in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee shall loose on earth shall bee loosed ia Heauen Matth. 18. 18. And when hee had sayd thus he breathed on them and sayd vnto thē Receiue the holy Ghost Ioh. 20. 22. Whosoeuers sins ye remit they are remitted vnto them and whosoeuers sinnes ye retaine they are retained verse 23. Thy mercy is great aboue the heauens and thy truth reacheth to the clouds Psal. 108. 4. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion slow to anger and of great mercy Psal. 145. 8. The Lord is good vnto all and his tender mercy is ouer all his workes Psal. 145. 9. Thou Lord art good and ready to forgiue and plenteous in mercy to all them that call vpon thee Psal. 86. 5 Thou O Lord art a God full of compassion and gracious long suffering plenteous in mercy and truth ver 15. O giue thanks vnto the Lord for he is good and his mercy endureth for euer Psalm 136. 1. 116. 1. 107. 1. 118. 1. In whom we haue redemption through his blood according to the riches of his grace Eph. 1. 6. By his owne blood hee entered once into the holy place hauing obtained eternall redemption for vs Heb. 9. 12. The precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe without blemish 1 Pet. 1. 19. This is the Cup of the New Testament in my blood which is shed for you Luke 22. 10. The Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Act 20. 28. Much more being now iustified by his blood we shall bee saued from wrath through him Rom. 5. 9. Ye are made nigh by the blood of Christ Eph. 2. 13. For he is our peace v. 14. If the blood of bulls and of goates and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the vncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh Heb. 9. 13. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through
Our condition requires it Examples of mecknes God the Father The Sonne The Spirit The Saints Moses Dauid Ieremiah The woman of Canaan Saint Paul Resemblances in the creatures Meekenesse bringeth peace Wealth Honour Wisedome The fruits of the spirit Blessednesse 1 Gods Commandement 2 The Saints practise Hezekiah Manasses Ezra Peter 3 A preparation to the Gospell 4 Acceptable to God 5 The effect of true conuersion 6 A cause of many diuine vertues 7 Bringeth ioy and comfort 8 The want of it fearefull Precepts for seeking the meanes of saluation Examples Dauid Mary The bearers of Iohn Baptist. Promises of life All things needfull Gods fauour Delight Peace Life Blessed content The kingdome of heauen Saluation by Mercy It is the most eminent attribute to God Precepts of mercy The last iudgement proceeds vpon works of mercy Mercy the fruit of the Spirit The Saints practise Iobs Tabithas Cornelius The good Samaritans Philippians Onesiphorus Philemons Workes of mercy a certaine note of pure Religion In assurance of saluation and meanes of obtaining mercy at Gods hand 1. Precepts for it 2. God takes notice of it 3. God highly esteemes it 4. Promises of 1. Life 2. Fauour of Kings 3. Sight of God 4. Gods fauours 5. Profiting by the Word 6. Abode in heauen Precepts God the Father God of peace The Sonne Prince of peace The holy Ghost the Spirit of peace Examples The Saints children of peace The fâ—uits of peace are Prosperity Honour Benediction Wisdome Righteousnesse The speciall presence of God Vnity Beatificall vision God his Will Power Ordinance Christ his loue Example Sympathy The Saints continuall practise Ioseph Iob. Daniel Ieremiah The Apostls and Saints of the Primitiue Church Paul The Thesa louians The Hebrewes Thyatyra Encouragements Couuersion of enemies Conuiction Triall Ioy. Assurance of Gods loue Fruit of righteousnesse Holinesse Perfection The promises Life Honour in in heauen Rewards in this life For holinesse 1. Precepts 2. Paterens so fit in God the Father The Sonne The Spirit The church Reasons drawne from the Creation Our Vocation Redemption Sanctification Glorification Fruites of holinesse Ioy. Peace Prosperitie Dignitie Faith commanded As necessarie to all religious duties as Prayer Hearing the word The Sacrament It is Pretious Holy Proper to the Elect. Grounded on God the Father his Word Oath The Sonne his promise Pray The Spirits earnest Seale Faith worketh miracles Ouercommeth the 〈◊〉 The world Maketh sonnes of God Purifieth the heart Keepeth from confusion Iustifieth Saueth Crowneth with euerlasting blessings Precepts for perseuerance Examples Abraham Dauid Daniel The blind man The Cananitsh woman Peters conuerts Paul Cornelius The beasts full of eyes The Corinthians CoÌ„tinuance is a note of Truth Hath certaine promises of reward Saluation Comfortable assurance A crowne of life Apostasie and backsliding vehemently disswaded Seuerely censured Fearefully thrâ—aâ—ned with losse of reward Of Gods fauour With a reprobate sence Infamy Death Eternally punished Death is common to all men The time and houre is by God prefixed God is an omnipotent and faithfull Creator Christ himselfe died and by death entred into his glorie And destroyed death And changed it in Name Nature Of a losse it is made a gaine Of a curse a blessing and a dâ—scharge from Labour Sorrow Paine Sinne. Free from euill company Bondage Temptation Feare the Saints desire Death Are comforted in death by Faith By Loue. By Hope By a good conscience The bodie resteth in hope of a glorious resurrection The soule immediatly enioyeth blisse Body and sonle shall be crowned at the last day Fruitfulnes is a spirituall blessing The paines are deserued by the sin of Eue. Sweetened with hop of a childe And promises of blessings Temporall Spirituall Confidence in God comanded Practised by Abraham Saraah Moses Dauid Eliah Hester Iob. The three children Ionah Reasons drawne from God His Attributes Faithfulnesse Prouidence Omnipotencie Goodnesse Gracious promises Performances to men in distresse as Lot The children of Israel Eliah Citizens of Samaria The 3 children as they are called Daniel Ionah Peter The sicke soule expresseth her malady Remembrance and experience of Gods goodnesse Hope in God Meeke patience Prayeth for ease Helpe Recouery Quickening grace Pardon for sinne Wisedome Sicknesse is God's visitation who is the Father of our Spirits and cannot be resisted Must be obeyed From whoÌ„ we receiue good It is a scourge for our sins It is sent for our good To weane vs from the world To tame the flesh and strengthening the Spirit To make vs loath sin To bring vs to acknowledgement of our sins in speciall To proue sincerity of our faith and loue To keepe vs from euerlasting torments To make vs seeke more earnestly to God Who will be found of vs. And shew his glory in our recouery For thankfulnesse Examples of Christ. The Angels The Saints in heauen The Saints on earth Melchizedeck Iacob The people of Israel in Moses time Moses Deborah Barak Anna. Dauid Salomon Ezra Isaiah Ezekias Daniel Ionah Marie Zacharias The Shepheards The man taken with a Palsie The people The woman that had a Spirit of infirmity One of the Lepers The blinde man The 〈…〉 Paul Peter Iude. Iohn Precepts In thy extremest fit meditate vpon 1 The heinousnes of thy sin deseruing a sharper scourge 2 The vnsufferable torments of hel which by these teÌ„porall chastisements â—re preuenâ—ed 3 The vnconceiuable paines and sorrowes which Christ endured for thee 4 The afflictions of Gods Saints equalizing farre surpassing thine Iob. Dauid Ieremiah The Apostles and first Disciples Paul 5 The faithfulnesse goodnesse of God who will not tempt vs aboue our strength 6 The short continuance of these paines and sorrowes 7 The incoÌ„parable reward of our patience See the Admoniâ—ion for good-Fryday Pray instantly and feruently Desire others to pray ◠〈◊〉 open thy sins and griefe in particular Weepe abundantly Restore Reconcile Forgiue freely from the heart Giue as thou art able liberally Seeke to thy Pastor and desire comfort froÌ„ him and the Church absolution Medit at vpon by faith apply to thy selfe Gods infinite mercy The vertue of the Sacraments The vniuersality of promises to penitent sinners The example of Gods mercy in pardoning heinous and grieueus sinners Peter Mary Magdalen The prodigall The theefe on the Crosse. The Iewes that crucified or consented to the crucifying of IESVS Layeth opeÌ„ his afflictions in body and soule Confesseth Prayeth for audience Sence of Gods fauour Pardon for his sin 4 Acknowledgeth Gods mercies 5 Professeth trust Desire of death Ioy in the holy Ghost Peace of conscience Assured hope of Eternall blisse 6 Commendeth his soule to God